2006 in country music

none This is a list of notable events in country music that took place in the year 2006. 2006 2006 country music Events January 14 – With the song, "She Let Herself Go", George Strait scores his 40th No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, all of them solo. It ties a 20-year-old record for most No. 1's on the country chart, held by Conway Twitty (35 solo, five duet with Loretta Lynn). January 21 – Kix Brooks, one half of the country superstar duo Brooks & Dunn, takes over as host of "American Country Countdown," succeeding longtime host Bob Kingsley. February 4 – Gretchen Wilson guest Miranda Lambert at the Austin City Limits. April – Hank Williams Jr. is arrested in Memphis, Tennessee, for assault after attempting to choke a teenage waitress at a hotel there. April 10 – Carrie Underwood and Gretchen Wilson at the CMT Music Awards. Miranda Lambert and Jack Ingram at the CMT Music Awards. May – People reports on the engagement of Keith Urban and actress Nicole Kidman. The two are married on June 25. Also during the month, Little Big Town members Jimi Westbrook and Karen Fairchild are wed; their marriage was announced in July. May 3 – Lynn Anderson arrested in New Mexico after causing a traffic accident at a local intersection due to drunk driving. She was released the next day on bond. Anderson was taken to court later that year where all her previous charges were dropped, as long as she didn't commit any more offenses. May 21 – Grand Ole Opry mainstay Billy Walker is killed in a car accident near Fort Deposit, Alabama, when the van he was riding in overturned along Interstate 65. Also killed in the wreck are Walker's wife, Bettie; and two member of his band. His 21-year-old grandson, Joshua Brooks, is critically injured. Walker was returning home from a show near Gulf Shores, Alabama.News of Billy Walker's death from CMT.com May 23 – The Tennessean of Nashville reports plans by Academy of Country Music to move its awards show to April, after consistently being drubbed in the ratings by powerhouse American Idol. The ACMs, which aired May 23 on CBS, appeared opposite Fox's American Idol for the fourth year in a row.ACMs eager to end role as 'Idol' sacrifice, The Tennessean, May 23, 2006 (accessed May 24, 2006) Kenny Chesney and Sara Evans at the MGM Grand Las Vegas. June 24 – The first Midsummer Day country music festival in Drottningstorp is held.http://www.jnytt.se/det-har-blivit-en-tradition-att-aka-hit Det har blivit en tradition att åka hit J-nytt sv Peter Gustafsson 22 June 2008 26 June 2011 https://web.archive.org/web/20150402143330/http://www.jnytt.se/det-har-blivit-en-tradition-att-aka-hit 2015-04-02 dead July 4 – Johnny Cash releases American V which instantly hits #1. August 4 – Jimmy C. Newman celebrates his 50th Grand Ole Opry Anniversary August 17 – Los Angeles' lone country music station, KZLA-FM, switches its format to urban pop.L.A. loses lone country music station August 19 – Keith Urban's "Once in a Lifetime" becomes the highest-ever debuting song on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart during the Broadcast Data Systems-era, ranking at No. 17 in its first week. "Lifetime" breaks the 10-month-old BDS-era standard set by "Good Ride Cowboy" by Garth Brooks. August 25 – George Jones Celebrates his 50th Grand Ole Opry anniversary September 5 – Kellie Pickler and Aaron Tippin in a Carolina country music. September 12 – Sara Evans and professional partner Tony Dovolani begin competing on ABC's Dancing with the Stars, to rousing reviews. Evans' gig will last four weeks. September 18 – Willie Nelson and several of his band members are charged with misdemeanor drug possession in Louisiana. State police had pulled Nelson's tour bus over for a routine commercial inspection and, after smelling a suspicious odor inside, searched the bus and found marijuana and psychedelic mushrooms.http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1536119,00.html Willie Nelson Cited for Drug Possession 2009-03-03 2011-03-30 https://web.archive.org/web/20110330041314/http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,1536119,00.html dead September 30 George Strait finally breaks Conway Twitty's record by scoring his record 41st No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart with "Give It Away". The documentary Dixie Chicks: Shut Up and Sing is released. The film chronicles the lives of the Dixie Chicks band members and the fallout that resulted after lead singer Natalie Maines made critical remarks about U.S. President George W. Bush during a 2003 concert in London, England. October 13 – One day after abruptly leaving Dancing with the Stars, news breaks that Sara Evans was seeking a divorce from her husband, Craig Schelske. Allegations Evans levied against Schelske included his affair with the family's ex-nanny, that he watched and downloaded pornography in the house, and his removal of $275,000 from the couple's joint bank account on the day the divorce decree was filed.Country Singer Sara Evans Cites Porn, Adultery and Abuse in Divorce Papers October 19 – Keith Urban checks himself into a rehabilitation center for alcohol abuse.Keith Urban Enters Rehab https://web.archive.org/web/20070927190302/http://wcbstv.com/entertainment/entertainment_story_293182715.html 2007-09-27 , WCBS-TV, October 20, 2006 (accessed November 8, 2006) October 20 – Flicka, an adaptation of the 1941 children's novel, hits the movie theaters. Tim McGraw is in the leading adult male role as Wyoming rancher Rob McLaughlin. November 3 – Stonewall Jackson celebrates his 50th Grand Ole Opry Aniversary November 6 The Country Music Association Awards airs for the first time on ABC. The awards show had been on CBS since 1972. Keith Urban, who won the Male Vocalist of the Year, is absent due to his rehab stint, and co-host Ronnie Dunn read Urban's acceptance letter. Hall of Fame inductee Kris Kristofferson presented the inductions for 2006 inductees George Strait, Harold Bradley and Sonny James, each of whom gave brief acceptance speeches; Strait also performed his No. 1 hit "Give It Away."Strait, James and Bradley tapped for Country Hall of Fame, CMT.com (accessed August 30, 2006) Controversy reigned when Faith Hill appeared to react angrily after Carrie Underwood won the Female Vocalist of the Year award.http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=entertainment&id=4736262 Faith Hill Reaction Makes Headlines 2007-02-13 https://web.archive.org/web/20070317022218/http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=entertainment&id=4736262 2007-03-17 dead Billy Currington quest Kellie Pickler and Carrie Underwood at the 2006 CMA Awards. December 3 – The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts honors Dolly Parton for her lifetime contributions to the arts. No dates No less than nine acts achieved their first No. 1 hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart during 2006, the most since 1991. Those artists were Carrie Underwood, Josh Turner, Bon Jovi along with Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland, Jack Ingram, Jason Aldean, Rodney Atkins, The Wreckers, Heartland and Sugarland. Four of those acts – Bon Jovi, Nettles, The Wreckers and Heartland – turned the trick with their first charted country single. (Although she previously had two Top 5 hits and a Top 10 hit as a member of Sugarland, Jennifer Nettles made her first entry on the Hot Country Songs chart under her own name as part of a collaboration with Bon Jovi, which, in turn, also made their first Hot Country Songs chart entry. Their collaboration, "Who Says You Can't Go Home", ultimately peaked at No. 1 on that chart – a first for both Nettles and Bon Jovi – and as of late, it is the only No. 1 hit for either act there. Sugarland, Nettles' group, would eventually score their first career No. 1 hit on the same chart by the end of the year.) During that same 12-month time span, chart veteran George Strait extended his No. 1 string to a Billboard-best 41, beating Conway Twitty's record of 40 No. 1's, while Dolly Parton scored her 25th No. 1 (as part of a duet with Brad Paisley) and Kenny Chesney extended his string of No. 1's to 10. Top hits of the year The following songs placed within the Top 20 on the Hot Country Songs or Canada Country charts in 2006: List of Hot Country Songs number ones of 2006 List of number-one country singles of 2006 (Canada) USCANSingleArtistReference18—8th of NovemberBig & Rich11Before He CheatsCarrie Underwood821BelieveBrooks & Dunn915BoondocksLittle Big Town16Brand New GirlfriendSteve Holy413Bring It On HomeLittle Big Town42Building BridgesBrooks & Dunn95Cheatin'Sara Evans1523Crash Here TonightToby Keith1421The DollarJamey Johnson23Don't Forget to Remember MeCarrie Underwood1724Down in Mississippi (Up to No Good)Sugarland19—Drunker Than MeTrent Tomlinson4514Everybody KnowsDixie Chicks12Every Mile a MemoryDierks Bentley715Every Time I Hear Your NameKeith Anderson1931Favorite State of MindJosh Gracin1329Feels Just Like It ShouldPat Green1631Findin' a Good ManDanielle Peck33Get Drunk and Be SomebodyToby Keith11Give It AwayGeorge Strait175A Good ManEmerson Drive28Honky Tonk BadonkadonkTrace Adkins1424How 'Bout YouEric Church1734I Can't Unlove YouKenny Rogers1225I Got YouCraig Morgan19I Loved Her FirstHeartland11If You're Going Through Hell (Before the Devil Even Knows)Rodney Atkins11Jesus, Take the WheelCarrie Underwood79Just Might (Make Me Believe)Sugarland1525KeroseneMiranda Lambert23Last Day of My LifePhil Vassar11Leave the PiecesThe Wreckers420Life Ain't Always BeautifulGary Allan1810Life Is a HighwayRascal Flatts1514Like Red on a RoseAlan Jackson510Like We Never Loved at AllFaith Hill21A Little Too LateToby Keith11Living in Fast ForwardKenny Chesney2320Love Will Always WinGarth Brookswith Trisha Yearwood1221Love YouJack Ingram51The Lucky OneFaith Hill615Me and My GangRascal Flatts1024MountainsLonestar33My Little GirlTim McGraw64My Old FriendTim McGraw11My WishRascal Flatts47Nobody but MeBlake Shelton16—Nobody Gonna Tell Me What to DoVan Zant3617Not Ready to Make NiceDixie Chicks61Once in a LifetimeKeith Urban117The Seashores of Old MexicoGeorge Strait13Settle for a SlowdownDierks Bentley512She Don't Tell Me ToMontgomery Gentry13She Let Herself GoGeorge Strait96Size Matters (Someday)Joe Nichols714Some People ChangeMontgomery Gentry22Something's Gotta GiveLeAnn Rimes11SummertimeKenny Chesney71Sunshine and SummertimeFaith Hill2033SwingTrace Adkins22Tonight I Wanna CryKeith Urban1931Two Pink LinesEric Church11Want ToSugarland11What Hurts the MostRascal Flatts12When I Get Where I'm GoingBrad Paisleyfeaturing Dolly Parton41When the Stars Go BlueTim McGraw111Wherever You AreJack Ingram13Who Says You Can't Go HomeBon Joviduet with Jennifer Nettles14WhyJason Aldean1330Why, Why, WhyBilly Currington11The WorldBrad Paisley15Would You Go with MeJosh Turner16—Yee HawJake Owen34You Save MeKenny Chesney12Your ManJosh Turner Top new album releases The following albums placed within the Top 50 on the Top Country Albums charts in 2006: List of Top Country Albums number ones of 2006 US Album Artist Record label 6 21 Number Ones Kenny Rogers Capitol Nashville 1 American V: A Hundred Highways Johnny Cash American Recordings 4 Blue Collar Comedy Tour: One for the Road Various Artists Jack 2 Brand New Girlfriend Steve Holy Curb 8 Brad Paisley Christmas Brad Paisley Arista Nashville 4 Broken Bridges soundtrack Various Artists Show Dog Nashville 2 Cannonball Pat Green BNA 3 Chris Young Chris Young RCA Nashville 10 A Classic Christmas Wynonna Judd Curb 1 Dangerous Man Trace Adkins Capitol Nashville 2 Enjoy the Ride Sugarland Mercury Nashville 6 Fortuneteller's Melody SHeDAISY Lyric Street 2 Greatest Hits, Vol. 1 Phil Vassar Arista Nashville 3 I Loved Her First Heartland Lofton Creek 1 If You're Going Through Hell Rodney Atkins Curb 1 It Just Comes Natural George Strait MCA Nashville 8 Just a Matter of Time Randy Rogers Band Mercury Nashville 4 Last Man Standing: The Duets Jerry Lee Lewis Artists First 1 Like Red on a Rose Alan Jackson Arista Nashville 10 The Little Willies The Little Willies Milking Bull 1 Live: Live Those Songs Again Kenny Chesney BNA 1 Long Trip Alone Dierks Bentley Capitol Nashville 1 Love, Pain & the Whole Crazy Thing Keith Urban Capitol Nashville 1 Me and My Gang Rascal Flatts Lyric Street 4 Men & Mascara Julie Roberts Mercury Nashville 10 Mountains Lonestar BNA 7 Pay the Devil Van Morrison Lost Highway 1 Precious Memories Alan Jackson Arista Nashville 1 Reflected: Greatest Hits Vol. 2 Tim McGraw Curb 7 Sinners Like Me Eric Church Capitol Nashville 1 Small Town Girl Kellie Pickler BNA 5 Some People Change Montgomery Gentry Columbia Nashville 1 Songs of Inspiration Alabama RCA Nashville 4 Stand Still, Look Pretty The Wreckers Maverick/Warner Bros. Nashville 8 Startin' with Me Jake Owen RCA Nashville 1 Take the Weather with You Jimmy Buffett Mailboat 1 Taking the Long Way Dixie Chicks Columbia Nashville 1 Taylor Swift Taylor Swift Big Machine 3 That's How They Do It in Dixie: The Essential Collection Hank Williams Jr. Curb 4 These Days Vince Gill MCA Nashville 4 Totally Country Vol. 5 Various Artists Sony BMG 5 Water & Bridges Kenny Rogers Capitol Nashville 2 White Trash with Money Toby Keith Show Dog Nashville 2 You Can't Fix Stupid Ron White Jack 1 Your Man Josh Turner MCA Nashville Other top albums US Album Artist Record label 26 16 Biggest Hits Johnny Cash and June Carter Cash Legacy/Columbia Nashville 43 All American Bluegrass Girl Rhonda Vincent Rounder 27 Back to Tulsa - Live and Loud at Cain's Ballroom Cross Canadian Ragweed Universal South 29 Believe: Songs of Faith from Today's Top Country & Christian Artists Various Artists Arista Nashville 27 Big Iron World Old Crow Medicine Show Nettwerk 34 Billboard #1s: Classic Country Various Artists Rhino 31 Black & Blue Roy D. Mercer Capitol Nashville 18 Black Cadillac Rosanne Cash Capitol Nashville 38 A Blue Collar Christmas: Redneck Style Various Artists Madacy 34 Corn Fed Shannon Brown Warner Bros. 30 Countrified Emerson Drive Midas 20 Country Is My Rock Trent Tomlinson Lyric Street 44 Country Legends: I Walk the Line Johnny Cash BCI 23 Danielle Peck Danielle Peck Big Machine 36 Different Things Tracy Byrd Blind Mule 20 The Dollar Jamey Johnson BNA 12 Electric Rodeo Shooter Jennings Universal South 14 Elvis Christmas Elvis Presley RCA 27 Flicka Soundtrack Various Artists StyleSonic 12 Greatest Hits II Diamond Rio Arista Nashville 35 Here and Now Darryl Worley 903 Music 46 How to Grow a Woman from the Ground Chris Thile Sugar Hill 26 JC: Johnny Cash Johnny Cash Sun 45 John Corbett John Corbett Funbone 25 Kicking out the Footlights... Again George Jones and Merle Haggard Bandit 32 Larry the Cable Guy: Health Inspector Soundtrack Various Artists Jack 12 Leave the Light On Jeff Bates RCA Nashville 28 The Legend of Johnny Cash Vol. II Johnny Cash Island 13 Little Bit of Life Craig Morgan Broken Bow 19 A Little More Livin' Trent Willmon Columbia Nashville 33 Live: Wherever You Are Jack Ingram Big Machine 28 Livin' Lovin' Rockin' Rollin': The 25th Anniversary Collection Alabama Legacy/Sony BMG 46 The Lost Trailers The Lost Trailers BNA 46 My Life Ronnie Milsap RCA Nashville 34 Now & Then Aaron Tippin Nippit/Rust 22 Personal File Johnny Cash Legacy/Columbia Nashville 31 Povertyneck Hillbillies Povertyneck Hillbillies Rust 35 A Prairie Home Companion Soundtrack Various Artists New Line 41 Reasons Why: The Very Best Nickel Creek Sugar Hill 49 Redneck Christmas Various Artists Time Life 29 Rockie Lynne Rockie Lynne Universal South 23 Rockin' You Tonight Blaine Larsen BNA 25 She Was Country When Country Wasn't Cool: A Tribute to Barbara Mandrell Various Artists BNA 19 Songbird Willie Nelson Lost Highway 17 Straight to Hell Hank Williams III Curb 36 This Old Road Kris Kristofferson New West 12 Three Wooden Crosses Various Artists Word 47 Today's Country Christmas Various Artists Sony BMG 33 The Ultimate Collection Chris LeDoux Capitol Nashville 24 Wanna Be Your Joe Billy Ray Cyrus New Door 24 You Don't Know Me: The Songs of Cindy Walker Willie Nelson Lost Highway Deaths March 23 – Cindy Walker, 87, prolific songwriter ("You Don't Know Me," "Cherokee Maiden"). (extended illness) March 25 – Buck Owens, 76, one of the pioneers of the Bakersfield Sound; co-host of Hee Haw. (heart attack) April 24 – Bonnie Owens, 76, singer-songwriter and ex-wife of Buck Owens and Merle Haggard (complications from Alzheimer's disease). May 21 – Billy Walker, 77, Grand Ole Opry legend best known for "Charlie's Shoes" and "Cross the Brazos at Waco" (car accident). August 14 – Johnny Duncan, 67, country music stalwart of the 1970s, best known for a series of duets with Janie Fricke. (heart attack) October 14 – Freddy Fender, 69, Tex Mex-styled singer-songwriter who achieved his greatest success in the mid-1970s ("Before the Next Teardrop Falls," "Wasted Days and Wasted Nights"), and recorded with two Tejano bands. (lung cancer) November 1 – Buddy Killen, 74, record producer and music publishing owner. December 22 – Dennis Linde, 63, well-respected songwriter of hits for acts ranging from Elvis Presley and Roger Miller to Garth Brooks and the Dixie Chicks. (idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis) Hall of Fame inductees Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame inductees The Lewis Family Syd Nathan Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Harold Bradley (1926–2019) Sonny James (1928–2016) George Strait (born 1952) Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame inductees Terry Carisse Brian Ahern Curley Gurlock Major awards Grammy Awards (presented February 11, 2007 in Los Angeles)Grammy Award Winners Best Female Country Vocal Performance – "Jesus, Take the Wheel", Carrie Underwood Best Male Country Vocal Performance – "The Reason Why", Vince Gill Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocal – "Not Ready to Make Nice," Dixie Chicks Best Country Collaboration with Vocals – "Who Says You Can't Go Home", Bon Jovi with Jennifer Nettles Best Country Instrumental Performance – "Whiskey Before Breakfast", Bryan Sutton and Doc Watson Best Country Song – "Jesus, Take the Wheel", Brett James, Hillary Lindsey and Gordie Sampson Best Country Album – Taking the Long Way, Dixie Chicks Best Bluegrass Album – Instrumentals, Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder Juno Awards (presented April 1, 2007 in Saskatoon)2007 Juno Award Winners https://web.archive.org/web/20070927012526/http://www.junoawards.ca/PDF/20070401_winners.pdf 2007-09-27 Country Recording of the Year – Somebody Wrote Love, George Canyon CMT Music Awards (presented April 10 in Nashville)2006 CMT Music Awards Winners Video of the Year – "Better Life", Keith Urban Male Video of the Year – "Who You'd Be Today", Kenny Chesney Female Video of the Year – "Jesus, Take the Wheel", Carrie Underwood Group/Duo Video of the Year – "Skin (Sarabeth)", Rascal Flatts Breakthrough Video of the Year – "Jesus, Take the Wheel", Carrie Underwood Collaborative Video of the Year – "Who Says You Can't Go Home", Bon Jovi Featuring Jennifer Nettles Hottest Video of the Year – "Must Be Doin' Somethin' Right", Billy Currington Most Inspiring Video of the Year – "When I Get Where I'm Going", Brad Paisley Featuring Dolly Parton Video Director of the Year – "Like We Never Loved at All", Faith Hill Featuring Tim McGraw (Director: Sophie Muller) Johnny Cash Visionary Award – Hank Williams Jr. Americana Music Honors & Awards Album of the Year – Childish Things (James McMurty) Artist of the Year – Neil Young Duo/Group of the Year – Drive-By Truckers Song of the Year – "We Can't Make It Here" (James McMurty) Emerging Artist of the Year – The Greencards Instrumentalist of the Year – Kenny Vaughan Spirit of Americana/Free Speech Award – Charlie Daniels Lifetime Achievement: Songwriting – Rodney Crowell Lifetime Achievement: Performance – Alejandro Escovedo Lifetime Achievement: Instrumentalist – Kenny Vaughan Lifetime Achievement: Executive – Barry Poss Lifetime Achievement: Producer/Engineer – Allen Toussaint Academy of Country Music (presented May 15, 2007 in Las Vegas)Academy of Country Music Entertainer of the Year – Kenny Chesney Song of the Year – "Give It Away", Bill Anderson, Buddy Cannon and Jamey Johnson Single of the Year – "Give It Away", George Strait Album of the Year – Some Hearts, Carrie Underwood Top Male Vocalist – Brad Paisley Top Female Vocalist – Carrie Underwood Top Vocal Duo – Brooks & Dunn Top Vocal Group – Rascal Flatts Top New Male Vocalist – Rodney Atkins Top New Female Vocalist – Miranda Lambert Top New Duo or Group – Little Big Town Video of the Year – "Before He Cheats", Carrie Underwood (Director: Roman White) Vocal Event of the Year – "Building Bridges", Brooks & Dunn, Vince Gill and Sheryl Crow ACM/Home Depot Humanitarian of the Year – Brooks & Dunn Cliffie Stone Pioneer Award – Dolly Parton, Don Williams and the late Harlan Howard and Waylon Jennings Jim Reeves International Award – Buck Owens Mae Boren Axton Award – Jack Lameier ARIA Awards (presented in Sydney on October 29, 2006) Best Country Album – Brighter Day (Troy Cassar-Daley) Canadian Country Music Association (presented September 11 in Saint John)http://www.ccma.org/awards/2006.pdf 2006 CCMA Awards Winners 2009-01-05 https://web.archive.org/web/20090220044907/http://ccma.org/awards/2006.pdf 2009-02-20 dead Kraft Cheez Whiz Fans' Choice Award – Terri Clark Male Artist of the Year – George Canyon Female Artist of the Year – Carolyn Dawn Johnson Group or Duo of the Year – The Road Hammers SOCAN Song of the Year – "Jesus, Take the Wheel", Brett James, Hillary Lindsey, Gordie Sampson Single of the Year – "Somebody Wrote Love", George Canyon Album of the Year – Hair in My Eyes Like a Highland Steer, Corb Lund Top Selling Album – The Legend of Johnny Cash, Johnny Cash CMT Video of the Year – "East Bound and Down", The Road Hammers Chevy Trucks Rising Star Award – Johnny Reid Roots Artist or Group of the Year – Corb Lund Country Music Association (presented November 6 in Nashville, Tennessee)42nd Annual CMA Awards Entertainer of the Year – Kenny Chesney Song of the Year – "Believe", Craig Wiseman and Ronnie Dunn Single of the Year – "Believe", Brooks & Dunn Album of the Year – Time Well Wasted, Brad Paisley Male Vocalist of the Year – Keith Urban Female Vocalist of the Year – Carrie Underwood Vocal Duo of the Year – Brooks & Dunn Vocal Group of the Year – Rascal Flatts Horizon Award – Carrie Underwood Video of the Year – "Believe", Brooks & Dunn (Directors: Robert Deaton and George J. Flanigen IV) Vocal Event of the Year – "When I Get Where I'm Going", Brad Paisley and Dolly Parton Musician of the Year – Randy Scruggs Kennedy Center Honors Country stars who were honored in 2006 Dolly Parton Hollywood Walk of Fame stars who were honored in 2006 Amy Grant and Tim McGraw References Other links Country Music Association Inductees of the Country Music Hall of Fame 2006 in Swiss music External links Country Music Hall of Fame Country Category:Country music by year